Parental involvement necessary for English as a Second Language programs

Wednesday

Jun 27, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 27, 2007 at 1:27 AM

TOBYHANNA — Teaching in your own language can be hard enough. So what do you do if, like Evelyn Casablanca, the students in your classroom speak Russian, Arabic, Spanish and Pohnpeian (it's from Micronesia), to name just a few?

DAN BERRETT

TOBYHANNA — Teaching in your own language can be hard enough.

So what do you do if, like Evelyn Casablanca, the students in your classroom speak Russian, Arabic, Spanish and Pohnpeian (it's from Micronesia), to name just a few?

"It's a total physical response," said Casablanca, an English as a Second Language teacher at Clear Run Elementary School. That means using lots of hand gestures and visual cues.

"It's like being an actor," she said.

Two years ago, Casablanca and her fellow teacher, Melissa Myers, began to notice that what happened in their classroom was only part of the puzzle of reaching their students.

When they met their students' parents, they saw that the parents wanted to participate in their children's education, but a lack of English or familiarity with the education system kept them from doing so.

That dynamic is increasingly occurring statewide. Over the past 10 years, the number of students in Pennsylvania classified as "Limited English Proficient" has doubled, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

At the same time, they also tend not to score well on standardized tests. Statewide, reading scores place more than 54 percent of limited English proficient students in the "below basic" category, the lowest quadrant reported in PSSA results.

While there are many reasons for this, getting parents involved is seen as one part of the solution.

Nationally, studies have found repeatedly that immigrant parents want to be involved in their children's schooling. But they often lack the time, language skills and resources, or they distrust school staff and procedures, all of which can erect barriers between parents and schools.

In December 2005, Casablanca and Myers kicked off the ESL/Home School Connection program to remedy this. Throughout the school year, the parents come to Clear Run for special workshops — everything from strategies for studying and tips to understanding standardized tests, to help interpreting student handbooks, filling out medical forms or dealing with administration.

During the monthly workshops, the teachers make sure to split up parents so that those who speak different languages sit at the same table. It prevents parents from retreating to the safety of the familiar, or to a common language.

The teachers try to stretch their students in the same way. Students in the ESL program typically spend about one hour per day in the class, mostly to learn strategies and specialized vocabulary to succeed in mainstream classrooms.

Myers said she graduated about 10 students from the ESL program this year; some have gone onto the school's gifted program. The decision to move students from ESL is based on standardized tests scores and other tools. About 120 students belong to the ESL program school-wide.

The teachers saw a similar work ethic in both students and parents. "If I have a child with nothing," Myers said, referring to the level of English, "that child tries so hard."

The parents held similar attitudes about getting to the workshops. "They come — and it's packed — even in bad weather," Casablanca said.

The program's organizers pointed to several examples of its success.

The number of participating parents has grown. Where eight parents initially came to the workshops, more than 30 were attending by the time the program wrapped up earlier this month.

Intermediate Unit 20, which serves school districts in Northampton, Monroe and Pike counties, gave the program a Crystal Award, recognizing programs that build parental participation in school. Seventeen programs vied for two prizes in this category; Pleasant Valley's "Ready, Set Read" program earned the other honor.

The program has also enjoyed some success acculturating parents and students. Casablanca and Myers said that they knew of several parents who had gone on to take ESL classes at Northampton Community College.

But the ultimate measure of its success may be intangible.

"We wanted to make them feel part of the community and the district," Casablanca said.

Even so, that sentiment is not shared universally.

Anger over immigrants is bubbling over in many sectors of the country. And just how many of Pocono Mountain's students might be in the country illegally is unclear.

The district employs a home-school visitor, who goes door-to-door to make sure students actually live within district boundaries and have proper immunization records. But the district does not ask about students' immigration or visa status, which is in keeping with state and federal policy.

"We are not at liberty to ask the status of any student," said Leah Harris, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Every student in Pennsylvania — and federally — is eligible to receive the same education."

Either way, patience can run thin — even for those who have limited English skills but are here legally.

But for Casablanca and Myers, who work with parents and children representing all kinds of non-native speakers, a different attitude prevails.

"You have to be sensitive to their needs," Myers said. "Put yourself in their shoes. Remember what it was like and give them time."

Bilingual story hours will be held on the following dates through the Associated Libraries of Monroe County.

July 10 at Smithfields branch of Eastern Monroe Public Library at 4 - 5 pm. Call 570-223-1881 to register.

July 13 at Hughes Library on Chipperfield Drive, Stroudsburgthere will be a bi-lingual puppet show at 4:30-5:30. Call (570) 421-0800x14 to register.

July 16 at Pocono Mountain Public Library, Tobyhanna, there will be a bi-lingual puppet show at 5:30-6:30. Call (570) 894-8860 for more information.

July 26 at Clymer Library in Pocono Pines at 4:30-5:30. Call (570) 646-0826.

Cultural diversity assistant Judite Maldonado can be reached through the Eastern Monroe Public Library at (570) 421-0800x49.

These programs are in Spanish and English for children preschool through fifth grade.

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